Please note:

Stephen Buhner has retired from answering questions here, but this website run by Planet Thrive, Inc. is kept open so readers can access vital information in the archives, communicate with each other in the comments section, and find herbs, books + lyme adjuncts in our store (coming very soon). If you want to reach Stephen, please try contacting him through his personal website:

healing lyme philosophy

Rather than making it a priority to kill the lyme spirochetes in any form, Stephen’s approach to managing lyme disease is as follows:

1. Support collagen structures so that damage to the body systems ceases;

2. Enhance immune function so that the body can deal with the organism itself;

3. Shut down the inflammatory pathways the spirochetes initiate, especially in the CNS;

4. Treat symptoms;

5. And only then, try and kill the spirochete.

core protocol (lyme disease)

Here is a brief look at the stripped down core approaches to treating Lyme and some of its co-infections. Stephen highly suggests buying his relevant books so that you can see the full expanded protocols. This is just a starting place; the full protocols are much more sophisticated, especially the listings for the many accompanying symptoms that often need to be addressed.

1. Japanese knotweed root (Polygonum cuspidatum)• Powder: 1 tsp – 1 TBS of the root powder 3x daily. Start at the lower dose and work up, OR . . .• Tincture: ¼ – 1 tsp 3-6x daily, OR . . .• Tablets (Green Dragon Botanicals): These are normally labeled as resveratrol on the bottle. They are in fact knotweed root standardized for resveratrol content. (Note: Don’t use grape resveratrol; it won’t work very well.) Some comments on tablet dosages below:

3. Andrographis (Andrographis paniculata)• Capsules: Begin with a small dose and work up. I would recom­mend 600 mg (1 capsule) 3x daily to begin with, for one week. Then, if there are no side effects, increase the dose to 2 capsules 3x daily. Please check the side effects on this herb: Unpleas­ant allergic reactions can occur.

lyme disease prevention

The primary herb for prevention is astragalus. Stephen recommends a minimum of 1,000 mg daily if you live in a lyme endemic area. This will keep the immune markers high that need to be high to prevent infection or, if you are infected, to keep the disease symptoms as minimal as possible.

new tick bites

For new tick bites, Stephen typically recommends taking astragalus – 3,000 mg daily for 30 days, 1,000 mg daily thereafter, indefinitely. Also: using a paste made of andrographis tincture mixed with green clay, the paste applied on the tick bite area can often prevent an active infection. See also:recent tick bites.

babesia

Stephen generally recommends the use of a Sida acuta, Alchornea cordifolia, and Cryptolepis sanguinolenta blend for the treatment of babesia these days: ¼-1/2 tsp 3x daily. You could as well do ¼ tsp of each of these three tinctures 3x daily. These three tinctures can be purchased from woodlandessence.com. You can also use just one of those herbs; his first choice is Sida acuta, second is Cryptolepis sanguinolenta. Stephen no longer recommends artemisinin or artemisia for babesia infections. It can work, but whatever you are treating, Sida acuta will work better, especially for babesia or bartonella.

candida

Stephen suggests reading his book on fasting, The Fasting Path (see bookstore), as fasting has shown some of the best results with tough to treat candida. He has also had success with a tincture combination: desert willow and chapparo amargosa – equal parts of the tinctures blended together. 1/2 tsp 3x daily for 30 days or so. You can get these from Bear Creek Herbs (505-388-5035) in Silver City, NM.

cautions

PLEASE NOTE: If you have active herpes, chicken pox, or shingles DO NOT USE L-arginine.

CAUTION: About one percent of people (one out of a hundred) using andrographis report allergic reactions. Primarily the reaction shows as a rather severe skin rash; essentially hives. This will resolve if you stop taking the herb, though it might take a week or so. Anti-inflammatories such as cortisone creams are not necessary; it will clear up on its own. Please pay attention to any skin reactions you might have to the herb and discontinue it if you have a reaction. If you are one of the very few that does experience a reaction, you can continue the rest of the herbs in the core protocol, simply deleting andrographis.

NOTE: Two people have reported rises in liver enzyme levels on the protocol. The cause is unknown. Andrographis, knotweed, and smilax are all herbs used historically for liver problems, all are specific for healing liver disease. That increases in liver enzymes has occurred is odd since the herbs are specific for lowering those levels; they are good liver protector herbs and have been traditionally used for liver disease for millennia. This reaction is very unusual and the only reason I can find for it is personal reactivity to one of the herbs. The best thing to do if you do experience increases in liver enzymes is to stop the protocol and then reintroduce the herbs one at a time to see which one is the problem.

NOTE: A few people have experienced loss of taste on the protocol. The herb responsible for this has not been identified but I think it is probably the knotweed as that plant does cause, sometimes, alterations in taste. It can take up to 3 months to correct itself after the herb has been discontinued.

disclaimer

The assistance of a qualified health care provider familiar with all dosage outlines, contraindications, and herb/drug interactions outlined in Healing Lyme, and familiar with your personal health history and current symptoms is strongly suggested. Nothing in this column is intended to replace the expertise and care of a qualified health care practitioner. The material is intended for educational purposes only.

“This protocol was incredible. After only a few weeks most of my symptoms were gone. After six months all my symptoms were gone… it has given me my life back.”

Stephen Harrod Buhnermaster herbalist, author, Earth poet

Stephen Buhner is an Earth poet and the award-winning author of fifteen books on nature, indigenous cultures, the environment, and herbal medicine including the acclaimed book Healing Lyme: Natural Healing & Prevention of Lyme Borreliosis & Its Co-infections. His work has been profiled in The New York Times, CNN, Good Morning America and other media throughout North America and Europe. Since October 2006, Stephen has tirelessly answered hundreds of questions from those following his herbal protocol through his Q & A column. more about the man

the books.

HEALING LYME: NATURAL HEALING AND PREVENTION OF LYME BORRELIOSIS AND ITS COINFECTIONS
Published in 2005, Healing Lyme examines the leading scientific research on lyme infection, its tests and treatments, and outlines the most potent herbal medicines and supplements that offer help – either alone or in combination with antibiotics – for preventing and healing the disease. It is the essential guide to lyme infection and its treatment. Thousands of people have used the protocol to successfully manage their symptoms. read more

HEALING LYME DISEASE COINFECTIONS: COMPLEMENTARY HOLISTIC TREATMENTS FOR BARTONELLA AND MYCOPLASMAA guide to the natural treatment of two of the most common and damaging coinfections of lyme disease–bartonella and mycoplasma. This book reveals how these conditions often go undiagnosed, complicate Lyme treatment, and cause a host of symptoms–from arthritis to severe brain dysfunction. It outlines natural treatments for both infections, with herbs and supplements for specific symptoms and to combat overreactions of the immune system. Also reviews the latest scientific research on bartonella and mycoplasma coinfections and how treatment with antibiotics is often ineffective. read more

NATURAL TREATMENTS FOR LYME COINFECTIONS: ANAPLASMA, BABESIA AND EHRLICHIAA guide to the natural treatment of three coinfections of lyme disease. In this book, Stephen Buhner reviews the latest scientific research on babesia, ehrlichia, and anaplasma. He reveals how these three conditions often go undiagnosed, complicate the treatment of lyme disease, and cause symptoms from headache to seizures. He also outlines effective natural treatments with herbs and supplements for specific symptoms and to combat overreactions of the immune system and the inflammation response. read more

HERBAL ANTIVIRALS: NATURAL REMEDIES FOR EMERGING & RESISTANT VIRAL INFECTIONSTake control of your health with herbal antivirals. As traditional medications become less effective against today’s potent and aggressive viruses, natural alternatives are proving capable of fighting off many common viral threats. Stephen Harrod Buhner offers in-depth instructions on how to prepare and use herbal formulations to prevent and treat infections such as SARS, influenza, and encephalitis. These natural remedies will fight off disease and strengthen your immune system, keeping your family healthy and happy. read more